Dry storage facility for irradiated nuclear reactor fuel elements
US4525324A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 1982 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 21, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention is directed to a dry storage facility for storing radioactive materials such as irradiated nuclear reactor fuel elements. The radioactive materials release heat generated by the radioactive decay and are held in gas-tight storage containers. The dry storage facility includes several storage modules for receiving the storage containers. The storage modules are arranged in the enclosure of the dry storage facility which can be in the form of a secure building or an underground storage cavern. A transport passageway extends alongside of the storage modules and a transport apparatus is arranged so as to be movable along this passageway. The storage containers are cooled in the storage modules by natural convection which is direct or indirect. In order to obtain an improved transfer of heat between the storage containers and the rising cooling air, the storage containers are arranged in the storage module such that the storage containers in each of two mutually adjacent planes are arranged crosswise with respect to each other. This crosswise arrangement of the storage containers leads to a swirling of the cooling air as it rises.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.